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Otosan Uchi
Otosan Uchi, whose name literally meant “Father's Home”, a reference to the first Hantei Emperor, who was effectively the father of the Empire, The Atlas of Rokugan, p. 245 was also known as "Buzama ni Hirugaru Kyojin", "The Sprawling Giant", Otosan Uchi:Book 1, p. 6 the city of the Emperor and the Imperial Capital, was the seat of power of Rokugan, from the dawn of the empire for over a thousand years. In the course of those thousand years the city saw many invasions and conflicts until it's ultimate destruction in 1159. City Layout The city was built around the Imperial Palace, located on Seppun Hill, and was organized in two circles: the Inner City, inside the Enchanted Wall and the Outer City, closed by the outer city walls. Otosan Uchi:Book 2, pp. 78-85 Then, the city was further divided into districts, each directed by a governor. Their names and sizes, as well as who governed them changed over the course of time, often used as tools in political rivalries in the city and Imperial Court. Otosan Uchi:Book 1, p. 7 History Construction After the Tournament of the Kami, in the year 5, Hantei chose to construct his capital on the place of his victory, Seppun Hill, while the rest of the Kami began to gather their followers. Imperial Histories, p. 13 The Imperial Palace was finished in the year 23, and a festival was held. Imperial Histories, p. 30 War Against Fu Leng The War Against Fu Leng was the first war of the Empire and at its peak reached the outer walls of Otosan Uchi. A Gathering of Thunder, by Rich Wulf The city walls had been enhanced as a defensive structure, the Lion had become the permanent city's garrison, protecting the only two gates through the inner walls of the city. The Phoenix, Crane, Crab and Ki-Rin built and protected the Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern inner city walls respectively. The Scorpion Clan rebuilt the Imperial Palace, placing magical wards and deceptive defenses. Otosan Uchi:Book 2, pp. 5-6 The threat posed to the Emperor resulted in the city's main improvement; the Enchanted Wall. Uprisings In 663 uprisings happened all around the major cities of Rokugan due to the Great Famine. The Imperial Legions quickly crusged the revolters. Imperial Histories, p. 102 Return of the Ki-Rin In 815 the Return of the Ki-Rin was confirmed during the Imperial winter court at Otosan Uchi. Imperial Histories 2, p. 157 The Scorpion Coup In 1123, driven by a long lost prophecy, the Scorpion Clan Champion Bayushi Shoju believed that the Emperor would become the doom of the Empire. He made his preparations, and struck suddenly. On the 14th day of the Month of the Rooster in 1123, Bayushi Shoju assassinated Emperor Hantei XXXVIII and the concealed army of the Scorpion Clan seized the city. After five days of battle, the city was free by the six other clans led by Akodo Toturi who had united against Shoju. Kisada's Gambit In the early winter of 1127, Time of the Void, p. 54 as the Clan War was raging, Crab Clan Champion Hida Kisada and his son Hida Yakamo planned to seize the throne. Together, they sailed to Otosan Uchi and invaded the city alongside their Shadowlands allies, swiftly crushing the Lion garrison. Lion commander Matsu Tsuko was ordered by the Emperor himself not to take command of the Lion armies, and without her leadership, the forces crumbled. Eyes of Dawn In the Month of the Hare of 1128 the Crab breached the city's walls. When Kisada strode into the Imperial Palace to take the throne with his son at his side, he found Hantei XXXIX standing in wait. There, the Emperor revealed himself to be possessed by Fu Leng, and the corrupted Hantei drove his ancestral blade into Kisada's gut. Yakamo and his wounded father managed to flee the palace, the Crab alliance with the Shadowlands was at an end. Time of the Void, p. 55 The Second Day of Thunder In 1128, on the 9th day of the Month of the Ox, the major powers of the Emerald Empire united under a single banner and focused on one goal: to destroy the corrupted Emperor Hantei XXXIX and free the heart of the Empire from the Shadowlands' control. The battle was fought by the six Great Clans, the Scorpion forces not yet restored to their place as the seventh clan, the Naga, the Brotherhood of Shinsei, Toturi's Army, Yoritomo's Alliance and many smaller factions. While the fighting raged outside the Seven Thunders led by the Hooded Ronin and Dragon Clan Champion Togashi Yokuni confronted Fu Leng in the palace. Yokuni revealed himself to be the Kami Togashi, and the twelfth Black Scroll was removed from his chest. Fu Leng was made mortal and defeated, but not before Doji Hoturi and Isawa Tadaka had been mortally wounded. Time of teh Void, p. 101-104 Toturi was made Emperor Toturi I and the Clan War was officially over. Shinjo's Attack In 1132, after completing the Kolat purge of the Unicorn Clan, the Kami Shinjo assembled the armies of her clan and marched on Otosan Uchi to destroy the shadow-tainted Emperor Toturi. As the armies arrived, the Great Sea Spider spun a web of darkness around the Capital, A Letter from Goju Utsei and the minions of the Lying Darkness began to slaughter the inhabitants as they fled. The Emperor's forces, who were already engaging the Unicorn, were suddenly aided by an avatar of Lord Moon. During the battle, Takao stepped forward and engaged the Moon's avatar, defeating him in a single round of combat. The death of his avatar weakened Onnotangu enough that he could be slain by Hitomi, thus beginning the Twenty-Seven Days of Darkness. Meanwhile, after Toturi was spirited away by Empress Isawa Kaede, Shinjo arrived in the throne room alongside Yoritomo, whom she then offered the Jade Throne. Yoritomo refused, saying he did not earn it, and the throne remained empty for the time being. Hidden Emperor, p. 54 Earthquake In 1140 an terrible earthquake shook the Imperial City. Earthquake at Otosan Uchi (Spirit Wars flavor) The ground where Otosan Uchi was built upon was not stable, and earthquakes were not rare. The Hand of the Empress, by Shawn Carman Daigotsu's Invasion On the seventh day of the Month of the Ox in the year 1159, the Dark Lord Daigotsu culminated months of planning and manipulating by assaulting the Imperial Capital. Using the invasion as a distraction Daigotsu freed Fu Leng from Emma-O, and Fu Leng began the War in the Heavens. Meanwhile the armies of Matsu Nimuro, Akodo Kaneka and Toturi Tsudao fought of the invaders in the city, but the city had been irrevocably damaged. The Kitsu confirmed with their ancestors that the Imperial City was cursed beyond redemption and Nimuro commanded the Legion of the Wolf, alongside with the Sword of Yotsu, to put the city to the torch. Clan Letter to the Lion #20 (Imperial Herald v2 #5) Relocation of the Imperial Capital In the wake of the attack, the division between the Four Winds grew wider as each blamed the other for failing to stop Daigotsu. Each Wind declared a different city to be the new capital, with Kaneka in Yasuki Yashiki, Naseru in Ryoko Owari, Sezaru in Kyuden Tonbo and Tsudao in Kyuden Seppun. Legend of the Five Rings; Third Edition, p. 25 The Empire went without a centralized place of power for almost a year until in 1160, after the Four Winds March and the death of Tsudao, Toturi III ordered a new Imperial Palace be constructed in the new capital of Toshi Ranbo wo Shien Shite Reigisaho. The reconvened Imperial Court took up residence in the city shortly thereafter. Ruins of Otosan Uchi Despite its destruction, there were several factions who chose to make the fallen city their home. Iuchiban When the immortal sorcerer Iuchiban once again threatened Rokugan he took up residence in the ruins of Otosan Uchi, building an Iron Citadel. Once his presence in the city was discovered a combined effort by the Lion Clan and Crab Clan distracted the sorceror long enough for Isawa Sezaru to locate and destroy the Hidden Heart of Iuchiban. Ninube Following the fall of Iuchiban the Ninube sought refuge in the ruins. The Jade Champion Asahina Sekawa exposed their existence in the city however, and led a coalition army to exterminate them. Yotsu family The Yotsu family refused to leave the city following it's destruction at the hands of Daigotsu in 1159, holding to their duty originally given to them by Hantei XXXVIII. They protected anyone else who also chose to remain, to the best of their abilities. Spider Clan The "ronin" group known as the Spider Clan, in truth the remnants of the Lost, secretly made the abandoned sewers of the city one of their bases of operation. They called it, the Ruined City. It was from here that the Spider Clan Champion Daigotsu launched his wave of assassinations in 1170, causing more chaos in an already chaotic Empire. External Links * Otosan Uchi (Siege: Clan War) * Ruins of Otosan Uchi (1,000 Years of Darknes) Category:Spider Clan Holdings Category:Imperial Holdings Category:Ronin Holdings Category:Articles with Pictures